“Start Me Up” by The Rolling Stones is a classic rock song that utilizes a common I-IV chord progression primarily in the key of D major. Like many rock songs from their era, the arrangement is simple yet effective, designed to showcase the strong rhythm and melody rather than complex harmonies.
“Beast of Burden,” by The Rolling Stones, a song characterized by a typical rock-pop structure, primarily uses a IV-chord loop in the key of E major. The chord progression in the outro follows a specific sequence: E, to B, to C#m, to A. The return to the E at the end of the progression gives it a circular feel that encourages cohesion.
“Paint It Black” plays with minor tonality, which isn’t extremely common in rock and roll music of the era. The song is in the key of E minor and uses the chords Em, B, D, G, and A. The verse has an interesting use of harmonies, incorporating the minor i, major V, minor iv, major bIII, and major IV chords.
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The Verse of “Us and Them” by Pink Floyd showcases a unique and non-diatonic chord progression that focuses on D mixolydian mode with added sus2 chords and an augmented chord. It deviates from traditional harmony patterns and creates a spacious, floating feel. The chords occur in a consistent pattern and are mostly slash chords with the constant presence of the D note in the bass, which further strengthens the D tonality.
“Weekend Wars” by MGMT features a distinctive and slightly unconventional chord progression. The verse is in D minor and consists of 22 chords, providing a unique and somewhat complex harmonic landscape. The majority of the chords used are diatonic, but there are also borrowed chords and other non-diatonic chords which contribute to the song’s unique character.
Chord Progression:
Dm (i), C (VII), G (IV), C (VII), G (IV), F (III), Dm (i), C (VII), F (III), Am (v), F (III), Dm (i), C (VII), G (IV), C (VII), G (IV), F (III), Dm (i), C (VII), F (III), Am (v), F (III)
Dm – D minor
C – C major
G – G major (borrowed chord)
F – F major
Am – A minor
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“You Can’t Always Get What You Want” by The Rolling Stones is built around major tonality and uses direct and simple progressions. It also features what are known as additive chords (Gadd9) – chords to which notes are added beyond the common triad. The song commences in the key of G Major, indicated by the G, Gadd9, and C chords. These chords progress in an almost continual cyclical pattern across the verses. Here, the dominant chord (D) in the key of G Major is absent, which grants a tonal ambiguity to the song. Interestingly, the song takes a departure into a different key later on which will not be included in this analysis as it pertains to the Verse only.
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